Until recently, Tephroseris koreana was treated in Sinosenecio, but it was transferred to Tephroseris on the basis of molecular and other evidence (Nordenstam & Pelser, Compositae Newslett. 49: 5. 2011).

However, one of us (Jeffrey) does not accept the transfer of Sinosenecio koreanus to Tephroseris; i.e., phenetically, S. koreanus is Sinosenecio, not Tephroseris, as shown by the combination of leaf shape and venation, low phyllary and ray floret numbers, short ray floret and disk floret corolla tubes, and campanulate disk floret corolla limbs.